Nothing to worry about

In the last couple of months, there has been an ongoing debate about a new trend that might have started among talented high school basketball players. A player named Brandon Jennings may end up being remembered as the Curt Flood of basketball in that he could change the landscape of college basketball recruiting for years to come.

Jennings’ story starts at Oak Hill Academy where he was a highly recruited basketball player committed to play at the University of Arizona. When he realized that his grades were going to keep him from being admitted, he decided to take his game to the European leagues. He has signed a three year deal with an Italian professional team that features buy out clauses for when the NBA is allowed to come calling.

Jennings’ departure has American hoop-heads crying that college basketball is being deprived of a talented player and that it could lead to future exports of young talent to Europe. Under the current rules, NBA teams are forbidden to draft a player until he turns nineteen. This is what is known as the “one and done” rule. Players like Rose from Memphis and Oden from Ohio State played one year in college until such time that they were eligible to be drafted. Jennings will forgo the year in college in exchange for a year or more in Europe where he will be a professional instead of a student athlete. The question is: why does this bother so many people?

“He is not taking advantage of his chance at a college education.” You mean that one and a half semesters of classes he will attend until basketball season is over? Yeah, we wouldn’t want him to miss out on that. People go to college to create job opportunities. I think this kid has found a pretty good opportunity. If he really wants to go to college, the money he will make overseas will be more than enough for tuition once his career ends.

“He is missing out on the college experience.” Ok, let’s see – frat parties in Tuscon versus living in Italy for three years. Yeah, those are comparable.

“He is taking away from the idea of student-athlete.” Actually, he is doing the exact opposite. Rather that perpetuate the fraud of being a student athlete for eight months and then leaving school for the NBA, he is going off to perfect his skill.

“Other high school players will follow his lead and dilute the talent in college basketball.” This is probably true, but who cares? The average fan would hardly notice the difference. Second, if a player has no real interest in going to college and is just using it as a spring board for a professional career, should he really be going to college? One of the biggest criticisms of Division I college basketball is that it is merely a “minor league” for the NBA and is filled with players that have no real interest in a college diploma. College basketball annually lags behind all other sports in graduation rates. True supporters of the idea of student athletes should applaud Jennings’ decision and encourage others like him to do the same.

“He is too young to have all that money.” And you’re probably right. But he is eighteen years old and this is America. If someone is dumb enough to give an eighteen year old kid millions of dollars to play a sport, then why fault the kid? If coming into that money ruins his character, then so be it. That’s what parents are for.

All in all, I hope that Jennings sets an example for future generations of basketball players in his position. In a perfect world, college basketball would be played by college students who are all seeking a college education. Perhaps this is the start of that very phenomenon.